Courtesy of Pearl River Community College Athletics
Junior College Volleyball • Womens
contributor
Faith Ellington
Pearl River’s Gritty Victory over East Central
Pearl River and East Central left it all on the court Monday night. The Wildcats and Warriors seemed evenly matched, each blow swiftly returned by another. After head coach Haley Chatham adjusted her team’s techniques, the Wildcats’ own Lila Willett, Avery Wheat, and Reagan Ziegler dominated.
Willet, an outside hitter, unleashed 22 kills on 41 attacks, pushing Pearl River to a dramatic 3-2 victory over East Central (18-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 15-11). Wheat, also an outside hitter, punished the Warriors with 21 kills on 69 total attacks. The win, spearheaded by Willet and Wheat, led the Wildcats to a 10-6 overall record and a 4-1 record in MACCC play. So far this season, their only conference loss came from league-leader Jones.
Pearl River and East Central both alternated between faltering leads and close loses. The Wildcats started strong in the opening set but slipped to 25-18 after East Central pulled away mid-frame. After Chatham’s careful recalibration, Pearl River responded in the second set, overcoming an early deficit with key kills from Ziegler and Willett. A final kill from Morgan Mears secured the 25-15 win, evening the match at one set apiece. The third set saw the Warriors edge out the Wildcats, leaving fans on both sides wringing their hands at the top of the fifth set.
Pearl River turned up the heat in their last set. A Ziegler kill and a Mears ace helped push PRCC to a 7-5 lead, and a thunderous Willett swing sparked a 21-16 cushion. East Central clawed back to tie it at 23, but the Wildcats closed it out 25-23 to force the deciding frame.
Despite the precarious win against the Warriors, the Wildcats are proving they can win anywhere (5-2 at home, 3-1 on the road) and decidedly take control of the court when they find their rhythm, earning six sweeps (3-0) this season.
Next up for the Wildcats? A key road matchup at Itawamba Community College tomorrow, September 17th. Win or lose, the Wildcats—anchored by Willet, Wheat, and Ziegler—are electric to watch.
